Cavalry
Cavalry are soldiers or warriors that fight mounted on horseback. They were historically used as the most mobile combat arms and used in many wars throughout human history. During the late pre-war era (two centuries before the Great War), cavalry played major roles in combat from the Napoleonic Wars to World War I and eventually World War II. After World War II cavalry was phased out and used for ceremonial roles seeing sparese usage in combat throughout the 21st century. In the post-war era, cavalry has made a major resurgence and is now an important or vital component of post-war armies, militias and armed groups. From independent communities and settlements to sprawling nation-states, cavalry is used in frontline combat even by more mechanized post-war factions. Soldiers who fight in cavalry units are known as cavalrymen, horsemen, or dragoons. Historical Context Cavalry has been used throughout history for various purposes from relaying messages to frontline combat. Throughout pre-war times, cavalry was used in combat seeing action in the 19th century, World War I and World War II. By the 20th century cavalry was showing its weaknesses with the emergence of modern warfare and following the end of World War II, was decommissioned and cavalry divisions were eventually disbanded with the only active cavalry units being ceremonial honor guards or used by law enforcement. Cavalry still saw some usage in the 21st century such as in the Second Filippine Insurrection where communist guerillas and government forces used cavalry in swamp murky terrain. During the European Wars, many combatants used cavalry for reconnaissance and scouting and cavalry was used in minor operations during the Sino-American War, mainly during the Alaskan Campaign and Mainland China Campaign, though this was done when supply lines were thin and/or units ran into terrain that negated the advantages of armored and mechanized units. Once humanity began to rebuild itself after the Great War, cavalry would see a return and used on a wide scale not seen since the 19th century. Horses are used in post-war cavalry units alongside other animals such as donkeys, reindeer, yaks, and brahmin (though the latter is never used for combat). Settlements, city states and communities use cavalry both as a means of transport and as a means of defense due to their limited resources and inability to construct or acquire functioning vehicles. Nations such as the New California Republic, Cascadia, the Llano Confederation and Midwest Confederation are able to field mechanized units and functioning vehicles, but still use cavalry to a degree. Cavalry by Country New California Republic While the New California Republic fields one of the most mechanized military forces in the post-war North American Wasteland, they still have nine independent cavalry divisions active; eight horse-mounted cavalry and one camel-mounted division. NCR cavalry units are used in reconnaissance and mopping up surviving stragglers, mainly soldiers from Caesar's Legion. Other cavalry units are active in the NCR Defense Force and are attatched to other units such as the 9th Armored Division, the 14th Motorized Division and 11th Motorized Cavalry Brigade. The NCR Supply Corps also uses cavalry as a means of transporting supplies and refugees in short distances despite ongoing efforts of heavy motorization. Cascadia The Republic of Cascadia has a well motorized military, but does rely on cavalry for specific operations. The Cascadian Defense Forces has nine cavalry divisions, seven horsemounted infantry and two reindeer mounted infantry divisions. The CDF is heavily mechanized, but cavalry plays a major role in mop up operations and counter-insurgency operations against partisans operating in the many forrests and rural frontier of Cascadia's northern provinces. Cascadian cavalry is used to defend rural territory, reconnaissance, and to act as scouts in both independent cavalry formations and as sub-units of other divisions. Midwest Confederation Due to the vast frontier of the Midwest, cavalry makes up a significant portion of the Midwest Confederation's security forces. Midwestern cavalry units are used for frontline combat, reconnaissance, and for logistical support. They work alongside the Military Police, mechanized and motorized units and have ten independent cavalry divisions. Cavalry is also widely used by civilians as a means of transportation to, from and inside various settlements and cities in Midwest borders. Category:History Category:Vehicles